The present invention relates to authorization, routing, gathering, and delivery of information in a telecommunications network, and more particularly, to a method and system for authorizing and routing transmissions and delivering information between numerous remote sites and a limited number of host sites.
The increased availability of cellular, or wireless, communications systems has resulted in a growing number of applications designed to use wireless communications technology. In particular, information services applications that require widespread service have been designed to rely on the presence of ubiquitous communications systems, whether wireless or wireline. The proliferation of wireless technology has allowed increased communications capability both for applications that are inherently mobile and for applications with numerous remote locations. Such applications include telemetry applications such as alarm and tracking systems in the equipment leasing industry and container tracking systems in the shipping and railroad industries. In these applications, typically hundreds or thousands of remote mobile units must communicate with one or more host locations.
For many applications, it is desirable to have a controlled environment that prevents unauthorized transmissions to and from remote units and ensures that information is routed to the proper destinations. For example, in a telemetry application, a mobile unit may be permitted to communicate only with a designated host location and not to freely initiate transmissions or receive transmissions from other locations. Also, based on the location of the mobile unit or a change in external business conditions, it may be desirable to ensure that a transmission from the mobile is routed to an authorized destination.
In today's environment of multiple service providers, especially in the wireless arena, there is no common denominator in how carriers interface with each other. Without adherence to a consistent set of standard features by network service providers, there is no single method of handling the authorization and routing necessary in a controlled environment or the gathering and delivery of information. The problem becomes greater as mobile units move between wireless service areas, whose networks may operate differently. Routing, authorization, and delivery of information in a controlled environment is even more difficult in an international setting, in which different standards abound.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a means for authorizing and routing transmissions in a controlled environment. In particular, it is desirable to provide a means for authorizing and routing transmissions between numerous remote units and a limited number of host sites, utilizing both wireless and wireline networks. It is desirable to provide a means for authorizing and routing transmissions in such a way to reduce the possibilities of unauthorized transmissions, both to and from the remote units, particularly in the wireless communications environment. It is also desirable to provide a means for gathering and delivering information in a controlled environment. It is even more desirable to provide a ubiquitous means for authorizing, routing, gathering, and delivering information that enables a nationwide or international communications solution for applications or services in a controlled environment.